Woman sentenced for assault — (The Daily Mining Gazette)

The Daily Mining Gazette

January 24, 2012

HOUGHTON – A Hancock woman who assaulted her boyfriend earlier this month was sentenced to time served in 97th District Court Monday morning.

Melanie Phillips, 27, pleaded no contest to aggravated domestic violence, a one-year misdemeanor. In a plea agreement, felony charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon were dropped.

Melanie Phillips is seen shortly before pleading no contest to aggravated domestic violence in 97th District Court Monday. Phillips was sentenced to the 15 days she had served since being arrested earlier this month.

She had been in jail since Jan. 9, when the Hancock police arrested her after receiving a complaint from her boyfriend that she had stabbed him.

The victim was taken to Portage Health, where he was treated and released.

Phillips said she had been prescribed Prozac, but was off her medication at the time of the incident.

“There really is no excuse,” she said at her sentencing Monday. “I’m very sorry for my behavior, and I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. I want to turn this negative into a positive for me, and I really look forward to working on myself.”

Phillips must also complete anger management training at Dial Help.

Her 34-year-old boyfriend also spoke at the hearing.

“I’ve known her for a long time now, and I know she’s not an evil person,” he said. “She just needs some help.”